Electric car charging availability (3)

Florence Eshalomi: There are 2,491 public electric vehicle charging devices in inner London, but only 1,869 in outer London. Given car ownership in outer London is higher shouldn’t we be seeing more public electric vehicle charging devices in outer London?

The Mayor: This is to be expected because car ownership is just one factor of many affecting where public electric vehicle charge points should be installed.
For example, ownership is higher in outer London, where there is greater availability of off-street parking which reduces the need for public on-street charging. London’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery Plan states that access to nearby public charging, or shared use of private charging is particularly essential in inner and central London.
Charge point delivery is also affected by borough priorities. London boroughs have been able to bid for funding to install public charge points in residential areas via the Go Ultra Low City Scheme. To date, approximately 30 per cent have been installed in outer London boroughs.

Ride Hailing Apps

Tony Devenish: Do you agree with Steve McNamara, Secretary General of the London Taxi Drivers Association, that the increasing number of ride hailing apps in London could benefit drivers, who can work on apps to find the best fares? How are TfL supporting this choice?

The Mayor: I have always welcomed innovation and anything that benefits passengers, provided the companies involved play by the rules.
Transport for London is the licensing authority and regulator for taxi and private hire services in the capital. If an applicant for a driver, vehicle or private hire operator licence meets the licensing requirements they will be granted a licence.

Temporary Hammersmith Road Bridge

Tony Devenish: Would TfL support Beckett Rankine in formulating a planning application for a temporary bridge for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham as a matter of urgency?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) have both considered the Beckett Rankine proposal for a temporary bridge for motor vehicles. However, this is not feasible or economically viable, and I understand TfL’s assessment of the proposal outlining why TfL has reached this conclusion has been provided to you. I am aware that then DfT Minister George Freeman also wrote to Sarah Olney MP in January 2020, outlining the fact that the Department has reached the same conclusion. Instead, a temporary bridge for pedestrians and cyclists is being progressed, which will shorten the delivery timeframe and simplify the main bridge works. It also ensures a cross river link is maintained for the 16,000 pedestrians and cyclists that currently use the bridge.

Sprinklers (2)

Tony Devenish: The Assembly’s report, 'Never again: Sprinklers as the next step towards safer homes', from May 2018, recommended that the GLA Skills team should work with British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) to identify new training opportunities for installing sprinkler systems. What progress have you made on implementing this recommendation, and could you please advise timescales of your proposed actions?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/0888.

Tooting Broadway escalators

Susan Hall: How long has the middle escalator at Tooting Broadway station been out of order, why has this been the case and when will it be fully working again?

The Mayor: There have been no significant failures on the middle escalator at Tooting Broadway station over recent weeks.
The last recorded failure on the middle escalator at Tooting Broadway was on 10 December 2019, with the escalator returned to service in around five hours.
As part of Transport for London’s Energy Strategy, London Underground is working to implement station energy plans that identify ways to reduce energy consumption. As part of this approach, this escalator is only turned on during peak periods, and is available as a fixed staircase throughout the remainder of the day.

Tariff adjustments for taxis

Caroline Pidgeon: I have received complaints from the taxi trade about the continued late implementation of the taxi tariff. Why has there been a delay to the implementation of the taxi tariff adjustments? How can you improve this process for future years?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has worked closely with taxi trade representatives to develop proposed changes to taxi fares and tariffs that strike a balance between the fair remuneration of taxi drivers and the need to ensure taxi fares remain affordable and attractive to passengers.
Proposed changes to taxi fares and tariffs were subject to a public consultation and TfL carefully considered the outcome. TfL is looking to publish the outcome of the consultation before the end of the year.
While fare and tariff changes have historically been implemented in April, there is no obligation for TfL to increase taxi fares or to do so at a certain time of year.

PHV Licenses (4)

Andrew Boff: In each of the past 5 years, how many Private Hire Operators have reported licence holder impersonation to TfL?

The Mayor: This type of intelligence is not stored within Transport for London’s (TfL) licensing system in a reportable format. If information or intelligence of this nature is received, it would be subject to an investigation and TfL would consider taking appropriate licensing action where required.
TfL referred to an issue in its decision not to grant Uber London Limited a private hire operator’s licence in November 2019 where a change to Uber's systems allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver accounts. Further information on TfL’s licensing decision can be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/taxis-and-private-hire/press-releases-and-news

Black Cab Licenses

Andrew Boff: In each of the past 5 years how many Black Cab licences have been cancelled as a direct result of the licence holder having been found to have carried out a sexual assault?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question2019/21033.

PHV Licenses (3)

Andrew Boff: In each of the past 5 years how many PHV licences have been cancelled as a direct result of the licence holder having been found to have carried out a sexual assault?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question2019/21033.

PHV Licenses (2)

Andrew Boff: In each of the last 5 years how many PHV driver licences have been cancelled and for what reasons?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2019/21033.

PHV Licenses (1)

Andrew Boff: In each of the last 5 years how many PHV driver licences have been suspended and for what reasons?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has provided the statistical data you requested in Mayor's Question2019/21033, 2019/21034, 2019/21035 and 2019/21036 at Appendix A, B, C and D. This data should be read in conjunction with the information below.
As the licensing authority and regulator for taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services in London, Transport for London’s (TfL) primary concern is public safety.
TfL has the power to suspend or revoke a taxi and private hire licence and, in each case, the reason for the decision will be recorded.
For Mayor's Question2019/21033, Transport for London (TfL) has provided data showing when licence suspension decisions were taken over the last 5 years (see Appendix A).
For Mayor's Question 2019/21034, the instance the term “cancelled” has been interpreted to mean revoked, the closest legal term.
TfL has provided the number of PHV driver license revocations for the last 5 years, and the reasons for them (see Appendix B).
In each instance that TfL revokes a licence, a reason for that decision is recorded within TfL’s licensing software. These are quite specific terms and therefore may not reflect additional reasons for the decision.
The data provided will be for records which indicate that the licence is shown as having been revoked and is no longer subject to any right of appeal by the driver. TfL will also have taken revocation action on a number of other licences, but those decisions may have been successfully overturned upon appeal by the driver or review by TfL. These will not be recorded in the table.
There will also be cases where a revocation decision has been made but this has yet to take effect, due to the driver having the right of appeal against any such decision or the driver being currently in the process of exercising their right of appeal.
For Mayor's Question 2019/21035, TfL already publishes taxi and private hire journey-related sexual offence statistics annually here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/safety-and-security/security-on-the-network/tph-related-sexual-offences. This data is based on police recorded crime data and verified against TfL's Taxi and Private Hire Licensing database.
However, TfL is unable to provide data for “sexual assault” specifically as it categorises more general offence types in its licensing system. To confirm which cases were for sexual assault would require us to review each individual case.
Please also be aware that this data will not include every instance where a driver has been alleged to have carried out a sexual assault, as some of these allegations would have been dropped, changed, or subsequently resulted in “not guilty” verdicts. In some cases, a driver may have been charged for a sexual offence after their licence has already expired and as TfL do not revoke licences that are already expired as their status would be inactive and they would not be able to undertake work as a taxi or private hire driver in London.
TfL has provided the data for the number of PHV licences revoked as a direct result of the driver having been found to have carried out sexual assault/indecency (see Appendix C).
For Mayor's Question 2019/21036, TfL has provided data for the number of taxi driver licences revoked as a direct result of the driver having been found to have carried out a sexual assault/indecency (See Appendix D).

Ward’s Corner and Latin Village, Seven Sisters

Caroline Russell: Do you agree with UN human rights experts who have said that demolishing Ward’s Corner and the Latin Village in Haringey is a threat to the cultural life of London’s Latin American community (https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?LangID=E&NewsID=21911)?

The Mayor: The Latin Village Market at Wards Corner is a very important local amenity, and I fully recognise the role it plays in London’s Latin American community.
I am committed to retaining a vibrant, successful Latin Market at Seven Sisters. The temporary relocation of the Market and the permanent re-provision at Ward’s Corner – as secured in the Section 106 agreement - will keep the Market at the heart of the local community. Throughout this process, I will support the transition to a preferred management model for the Market, chosen by the council.
In the interim I have made it clear to Transport for London (TfL) that it must do what it can – accepting that it has only limited ability to influence the day-to-day running of the market – to ensure the traders are supported and the market continues to thrive.

Terms of Reference/Contract Specifications and Tender Notification for Coaching and Mentoring Services for TfL Executives

Keith Prince: Please provide me with the Terms of Reference/Contract Specifications, Tender Notifications and Professional Qualifications of "Panthea Leadership" and "Leonardo Advisory Wondrous People Ltd" for the "Mentoring" and "Coaching Services" being provided under these £500,000 - £1,000,000 contracts.

The Mayor: In December 2018, Transport for London commenced their most recent competitive procurement process for mentoring, coaching and communication/influencing support to the TfL Executive Committee.Under each category potential suppliers were assessed against the required competencies for Coaching, Mentoring and Coaching & Influence, including prior experience and previous companies worked for.
The accompanying documents include the Invitation to Tender for each contract procured.

Rapid Charge Points

Keith Prince: Out of the current 207 rapid charge points, how many facilitate rear vehicle charge only?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) currently has 232 rapid charge points (RCPs) installed across London, and while they do not record whether rapid charge points (RCPs) facilitate rear charging, both TfL and the London Boroughs involved in rolling out RCPs as part of the Rapid Charging Project do however aim to avoid installing RCPs in locations that restrict members of the public to rear charging only. Instead, the project aims to provide public RCP sites that can accommodate both front and rear charging vehicles, often by creating either a single charging bay with the RCP located towards the middle of the bay, or two charging bays with the RCP positioned centrally between the bays. This allows users to use the most suitable bay for their vehicle.

Templates of Bus Contract Performance Audits

Keith Prince: Please provide me with the template of every Bus Contract Performance Audit conducted by TfL from 2005.

The Mayor: I have attached the templates which form the basis of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Bus Contract Performance Audits. These are used by TfL Auditors to inform their conversations with Bus Operators during an audit.

Temporary Pedestrian Hammersmith Bridge

Tony Devenish: What are the total project costs for the bespoke pedestrian bridge that TfL are procuring whilst repairs on Hammersmith Bridge are being carried out?

The Mayor: The concept design for the temporary bridge is due to be completed in April 2020 at which time Transport for London (TfL) will be able to provide an outline cost estimate. Further design work will then allow TfL to provide a more accurate cost.

Exempt vehicles in the Ultra Low Emission Zone

Caroline Russell: In the report on the first six months of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) you say that 38 per cent of non-compliant vehicles were eligible for a 100 per cent discount or exemption. Can you detail how this breaks down for each type of discount and exemption?

The Mayor: Certain vehicles such as taxis, historic vehicles and vehicles with a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicles' tax class do not currently need to pay the ULEZ charge. A number of those vehicles are automatically exempt; others must be registered with Transport for London (TfL) in order to qualify for a 100 per cent discount. TfL’s capture process identifies vehicles that do not need to pay the charge but does not record the reason why a charge is not payable. Therefore, a detailed breakdown at the level you have requested is not available.
With reference to TfL’s database of registered vehicles, TfL can confirm however that the majority of the non-compliant vehicles registered as eligible for a 100 per cent discount are taxis.

E-Bike Surveillance Plans

Tony Devenish: Has TfL overstepped the mark between private and public sector, respecting business intellectual capital with your e-bike surveillance plans?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils are working to put in place a much-needed London-wide approach to managing dockless bike operators. As part of TfL’s proposals for a new bye-law, they plan to ask operators to share anonymised data to help local government in London understand the dockless bike rental market better and ensure safety, given its reliance on public infrastructure.
TfL is working openly and collaboratively with all boroughs and operators, and there is nothing unusual about the proposed approach, which is similar to what many city authorities have already done in other countries.

TfL STARS

Onkar Sahota: Have the schools participating in TfL’s STARS programme seen an increase in the number of children and parents using active travel to go to and from sites?

The Mayor: STARS (Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe) is TfL’s flagship school travel accreditation scheme for primary and secondary schools. It helps and encourages young people and the whole school community to adopt safer and sustainable ways of travelling to school such as cycling, walking and public transport.
Our analysis shows that the share of walking, cycling and public transport modes at STARS schools has increased from 69.2 per cent to 77.3 per centbetween 2005/06 and 2016/17 academic years. This increase is supported by an overall fall in share of journeys made by car.
The increase for walking and cycling specifically was from 52.1 per centto 53.72 per centover the same period. This increase is made up from an increase in cycling journey share of 6.92 per centand a fall in walking of 5.3 per cent.

Never again: Sprinklers as the next step towards safer homes?

Tony Devenish: Could the Mayor confirm whether or not the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience has established a working group including London’s water companies, Water UK and local authorities to identify methods to improve the viability of connecting new Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) to water supplies as per the recommendations from rapporteurship report, Never again: Sprinklers as the next step towards safer homes?

The Mayor: Sprinklers and other Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) have a proven record of saving lives, protecting residents, reducing property damage, controlling the spread of fire and giving firefighters extra time to facilitate evacuation.
I welcomed the London Assembly Planning Committee’s report on this important issue in 2018, and my Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, Fiona Twycross AM, was pleased to welcome Navin Shah AM to speak about the report at our fire safety event in City Hall last May.
The most effective way to realise the safety benefits of AFSS is to make them a requirement by law, as recommended in the Assembly report. I have worked with the London Fire Brigade to lobby the government for legislative change, calling for AFSS to be mandatory in:
I have also called for a risk-based approach to retrofitting AFSS in existing buildings.
This lobbying has been effective. Last year the Government consulted on lowering the threshold at which AFSS is mandatory for new buildings from 30 metres to 18 metres. Subsequently, in January 2020, the Government indicated its intention to lower the threshold to 11 metres.
I have welcomed these steps and will continue to push for change that will help keep Londoners safe in their homes.

Sprinklers (1)

Tony Devenish: The Assembly’s report, 'Never again: Sprinklers as the next step towards safer homes', from May 2018, recommended that you convene a working group to assess the viability of connecting new sprinkler systems to water supplies. What progress have you made on implementing this recommendation, and could you please advise timescales of your proposed actions?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/0888.

TFL Flights

Shaun Bailey: What is the total amount of money TFL have spent on flights during the 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 year? Please also provide the total number of flights as well as the category?

The Mayor: Transport for London has replied to this request (FOI-3211-1920) in line with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This information is available via the following link:https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-3211-1920

Hammersmith Bridge

Shaun Bailey: What progress have you made in resolving the ongoing Hammersmith Bridge situation?

The Mayor: Significant progress is being made in putting to together a plan and design for the refurbishment of the bridge and in conducting immediate repair works. Investigation works are now being carried out, which involves removing the decorative castings from the pedestals on the bridge together with the paint, to reveal the inner workings.This will inform the detailed methodology for the main works.The concept design for the bridge works is expected to be completed in April.
TfL has contributed £25 million to the work that is underway at present, and this funding will also be used to cover the costs of a planned temporary pedestrian and cycle bridge for the 16,000 people who now cross the river on foot or by bicycle every day.This temporary walking and cycling bridge is necessary to ensure unimpeded access to Hammersmith Bridge during refurbishment works, with the intention of shortening the overall closure period for the bridge.
To progress the main works to the bridge, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham as the bridge owner needs support from central Government.LBHF and TfL have therefore jointly submitted a bid to the Department of Transport (DfT) for the balance of funding required, and my Deputy Mayor for Transport is due to meet with the Minister, local MPs, and local Council Leaders regarding this bid next week.

Correspondence following the Lakanal House fire

Andrew Dismore: Please provide copies of all correspondence to local authorities and housing associations referenced in response to question 2019/14532

The Mayor: Unfortunately, the London Fire Brigade is unable to locate copies of the original covering letters which were sent to all local authorities and housing associations at the time.
The posters and leaflets distributed as part of the Know the Plan campaign (launched in 2014) are provided.
Housing providers are also directed to a dedicated page on the LFB website on their responsibilities: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/property-management/